j.a3006219's Passions

j.a3006219's Bio

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I'll first say that I prefer gloves with minimal padding, mesh on the backs and no mechanical closure system. With fingerless gloves... simple is better. Castelli typically does a bang-up job with their range of summer gloves but this pair didn't even last through the summer before the stitching started to tear at the wrist. Pulling them off sweaty palms with the little tabs between the fingers is useless and an exercise in futility; never mind patience.

I found the best practice was to try and roll the gloves off the back of my hands then turn them inside out to let them dry. After drying to the hardness of an overcooked peanut brittle; they become even more difficult to pull on. Castelli gave no reinforcement at the wrist seams to seat the glove on the hands so the fragile mesh/seam location took the brunt of the stress. Before a month was out, I could see stitches giving way and the seam pulling from the mesh. Too bad... I still have an older pair of Castelli gloves with less padding yet are more durable than these. Overpaid for a product that can't take the daily abuses of riding.

I have had the same pair of these gloves for about three years now and they are still rocking strong. From 12 hour adventure races, to epic multi-day MTB destinations and a bit of dirt moto thrown in, they handle it all superbly. Diggers don't phase them, nor does smacking off errant saplings along the trail side. Just wash them every couple of months and that's about it. The only thing I would change would be to enhance the rear velcro strap... or eliminate it altogether. Even when it comes loose, the gloves are secure. Just a nuisance more than anything.

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I don't often write reviews, but when I do you can be certain it was well worth my time.

The latex tube (irregardless of Mfr.) is one of the most under-appreciated additions any serious roadie should consider for their ride.

I mounted my race tires in March of this year with these exact tubes and a set of Continental Attack/Force tires for my CAAD9 race rig. Throughout an entire race season of 30+ races and all the training miles between ranging from crits, to full on road courses, these tubes have performed flawlessly. They lose about 10psi of air over the course of 24 hours, but if you are a dedicated cyclist, you should be checking your tire pressures daily anyway.

I have hit multiple potholes, rocks and debris that should have flatted my tires on the spot with nary an incident. Where I watched fellow racers and friends flat on courses, I kept racing and finishing strong. Since my initial purchase earlier this year, I have purchased two spares to keep in my seat bag and replaced only the rear Force tire from finally showing cord in the tread. I re-used the same tube and it is still running strong. They weigh 75 grams each which is inconsequential in the grand scheme of rolling resistance.

For the time that these tubes have lasted, I would have bought multiple butyl rubber tubes and spent the same amount of money, if not more. They pay for themselves over the course of a season.